Pedal for self-playing pianos.



. PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905. J. WIESER.

PEDAL FOR SELF PLAYING PIANOS. APPLICATION FILED 1030.10, 1904.

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No. 797,390. PATENTED AUG-. 5, 1905. J. WIESER.

PEDAL FOR SELF PLAYING PIANOS.

APPLIGATION FILED DEG.10, 1904.

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Wi/MLQ 8441) Mute? PATBNTED AUG. 15, 1905.

J. WIESER.

PEDAL FOR SELF PLAYING PIANOS.

APTLIOATION FILED DEC. 10, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 "4mm a, (mum ca. mommuoarwnzas, msumcmu. n cy JOSEPH WIESER, OF NEW YORK, N.Y.

PEDAL FOR SELF-PLAYING PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed December 10, 1904. Serial No. 236,868.

1'0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WIESER, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the State of New York,-have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pedals for Self-Playing Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in pedals for self-playing pianos of that class in which a bellows-pump is actuated for operating pneumatic ally the pneumatic valveactions, pneumatics, key-levers, and hammer actions of the piano, also the pneumatic motor by which the unwinding of the music sheet from its roll and the rewinding of the same on the receiving-roll as it passes over the orifices in the tracker is produced, said pumping-pedals being arranged adjacent and in addition to the regular expression-pedals of the piano, said pedals being operated by toe-pressure in a quick and effective manner, so that the selections may be rendered with better expression by increasing or decreasing the pressure on the pedals according to the spirit of the composition as interpreted by the operator, the pedals being adapted to be folded up against the case of the piano when not required for use and readily moved into lower operative position when the pieces of music are to be played automatically by the piano; and for this purpose the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts, which will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved pumpingpedal for self-playing pianos shown as applied to the lower part of the piano-case and connected by an intermediatelever mechanism with the bellows-pump of the piano. Fig.

2 is a side elevation of the pedal, partly in section, through the lower part of the upright piano, showing the pedal folded up against the piano-case when not required for use. Fig. 3 is a top view of a pair of pedals and the lever mechanism operated by the same, and Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a pair of pedals shown in folded-up position when not required for use.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a pumping-pedal for self-playing pianos, two of said pedals being arranged at the lower part of the piano-case and at both sides of the ordinary expression-pedals of the piano. The pumping-pedals are intended to be op erated by the pressure of the toe, as so-called toe-pedals. Each pedal is connected at at its front end by a pivot-pin with a bracketlever 5, provided at its rear end with a perforated bracket b, attached to the lower part of the piano-case. To the front part of each pedal and its bracket-lever b is pivoted a supporting stay-piece C, which is connected by a brace J, pivoted to the same below its pivot connection with the pedal, said brace being provided at its opposite end with a slot tfor moving along a side pin p on the bracketlever b and holding the brace firmly in position on the floor when the pumping-pedal is lowered into position for use. When the pedal is not required for use, it is moved in upward direction against the lower front wall of the piano, the brace being then placed in position alongside of the bracket-lever, which is accomplished by the guide-slot of the same, as shown in Fig. 2.

when the pedal is lowered, as shown in Fig. 1. The pedal is provided at its under side near the rear end thereof with a recess in which a pivot-link D is pivoted, said pivotlink being connected to a lever F, which is fulcrumed to a pin in the bottom of the pianocase, the front arm of said lever being provided with a pivoted portion F, the front end of which is connected with a pivot-link D, while the rear end of the fulcrumed lever is connected by a pivot-linkfwith a fulcrumed elbow-leverf, that is pivoted to the rear part of the supporting-frame of the piano, the upper arm of the elbow-lever f being connected by a short intermediate link with an arm attached to the movable member of a bellows-pump P, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2.

The pivoted front section F of the pivotlever F is arranged for the purpose of per mitting the folding up of the pedal, bracketlever, and stay against the lower front wall of the piano-case, the front section F follow ing the parts referred to into upward position in front of the case, as shown in Fig. 2, and permits thereby the convenient folding up of the pumping-pedal against the case when not required for use. Then the pedal, with its bracket-lever and stay, is placed into lower position for use, the front section as- The bracket, 1) is provided with a ribbed forwardly-em tending portion on which the lever rests sumes its normal position in line with the main portion of the fulcrumed lever F and abuts at its end against the front end of the main portion of the lever F, so as to permit the operation of the latter under the toepressure on the pedal, while the return motion of the pedal is imparted by the action of a suitable spring that is connected to the movable part of the bellows-pump and the base of the piano-case, as shown in Fig. 1. Each pumping-pedal operates by the intermediate lever mechanism a separate bellowspump P, so that the alternate action of the pedals by the foot produces the alternating action of the bellows-pump, as in the ordinary well-known self-playing attachments for pianos. The bellows-pump is connected by suitable channels with the receiver P, which is located in front of the string-frame of the piano in the lower part of the pianocase, said receiver being again connected with the usual pneumatic valve-actions by which the pneumatics that serve for actuating the keys of the pianos are operated.

My improved pedal for self-playing pianos has the advantages of extreme simplicity of construction, of convenience in being placed into use by lowering the same and out of use by folding it up against the front wall of the piano-casing, and of producing an efficient transmission of the force applied thereto by the toe for operating the bellows and rendering the selections which are played with the desired expression and emphasis.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a self-playing piano, the combination of a pedal, bracket-levers hinged at one end to the casing of the piano and at the front end to said pedal, a stay also pivoted to the front end of the pedal and bracket levers, a brace pivoted to said bracket-lever and stay, said brace being provided with a slot at the end pivoted to said bracket-lever, operating-levers fulcrumed to the bottom of the case, pivot-links connecting the pedal with the front end of said levers, a bellowspump at the rear part of the instrument, and

lever connections between the rear end of the operating-levers and the movable mem ber of the bellows-pump.

2. In a self-playing piano, the combination of brackets attached to the lower part of the front wall of the piano-case, bracketlevers pivoted to said brackets, a pedal pivoted at its front end to the front end of said bracketlever,'a stay pivoted to the front end of said pedal and bracket-lever, a brace pivoted to said stay and bracket-lever, said brace being provided with a slot at its connection with the bracket-lever, a lever fulcrumed to the bottom of the piano-case and provided with a pivoted front section, a pivotlink connecting the pedal with the front section, a bellows-pump, a lever mechanism connecting the rear end of the fulcrumed lever with the movable member of said bellowspump, and a spring acting on said movable member.

3. In a self-playing piano, the combination of brackets attached to the lower front wall of the piano-case, a bracket-lever pivoted to said brackets, a pedal pivoted at its front end to the front end of the bracket-lever, a stay also pivoted to the front ends of the bracket-lever and pedal, a brace pivoted between the front end of said stay and the bracket-lever, a lever fulcrumed to the bottom part of the case and formed of a main section and a front section pivoted to the main section, a pivot-link connecting the pedal with the front end of the pivoted front section of the main lever, a bellows-pump, and intermediate lever mechanism connecting the rear end of the fulcrumed lever with the bellows-pump, the pedal, and bracketlever, said connecting members and front section of the operatinglever being adapted to be folded up along the front wall of the piano-case when not required for use.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in pres ence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH I/VIESER.

Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, HENRY J. SUIIRBIER. 

